Copper-pouring spoon and splash-shield.



No. 789,134. PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

R. BAGGALEY. v COPPER POURING SPOON AND SPLASH SHIELD.

APPLIOATION FILED APE.8, 1904.

INVENTOR' Patented May 9, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFicE.

RALPH BAGGALEY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

COPPER-POURING SPQON AND SPLASH-SHIELD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,134, dated May 9,1905.

Application filed Ap il 8, 1904. Serial No- 202,192.

[0 all whom it may concernf Be it known that I, RALPH BAGGALEY, ofPittsburg, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Copper-Pouring Spoon and Splash-Shield, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 is a vertical section of my apparatus. The converter inconnection with it is shown, being partly in elevation. Fig. 2 is a planview of the device for directing copper into the molds. Fig. 3 is asect-ion on the line III III of Fig. 1; and Figs. 4 and 5 show insection and plan the splash-shield, which may be used, if desired.

In casting copper from the converter into molds with the apparatusheretofore employed there have been very serious losses by splashing, byspilling, and from failure to pour the metal in an easily-controllablestream into the molds, and when the metal is poured rapidly thesediificulties have been greatly aggravated.

I have devised means by which the casting operation is renderedcontrollable and can be performed with little loss and much more rapidlythan heretofore.

In the drawings, 2 represents the converter, shown in tipped position asit is when pouring commences.

3 3 are the molds, which are carried by a car 4, and 5 is anintermediate spoon mounted on a support 6 by a bolt, (shown in Fig. 1,)which normally holds the spoon with suflicient pressure to prevent itsturning. The spoon is made of thick and preferably unlined metal, andits cross-section is trough-shaped. It is open throughout its length andmay be suitably lined. It is mounted in nearly upright position and hasa pouring-lip 7 and it tapers in width from the receiving end next tothe converter to the lip which is over the molds. The metal poured fromthe converter flows down the spoon and by its converging sides isdelivered from the lip in a narrow easilycontrolled stream into themolds as they are drawn thereunder.

Fig. 4 shows in section, and Fig. 5 shows in plan view, a splash-shield9, that may be attached to the bottom end of the pouring-spoon, ifdesired, and which is preferably readily removable by means of theset-screws 8 either for renewal or for any other reason. Where thissplash-shield is used in connection with the pouring-spoon, the latteris preferably made somewhat wider and with straight sides at its lowerend, the object being to admit of the splash-shield being readily andsecurely attached to the spoon and also thus to admit of the shieldpreferably inclosing a space of approximately twelve inches square, asshown in Fig. 5. The shield is preferably made of cast-iron; but it maybe made of any other suitable material. Its normal position is such thatits lower edge will aline with the top of the mold-level and its upperedge will aline with the radius of the swing of the con verters nose.Its position over a mold when pouring occurs will necessarily be as nearto the middle of the mold as possible. Hence in turning down the nose ofthe converter should any deposit or accretions exist on it these inpassing the shield may possibly at one single point in the circle strikethe top of the shield and momentarily depress it into the mold. throughthe swinging of the spoon on its hinges. As the converter-nose passesthe shield its engagement will be freed. It will be understood that thespoon is intended to remain in one position and that it is only utilizedin pouring copper into the molds at a time when the converter iscomparatively full and when as a consequence pouring is commenced. Asthe pouring of copper into the molds continues and as the converter isproportionately emptied of its contents and when its nose is inclineddownward at an angle of, say, thirty degrees it will have passed thepouringspoon and the splashshield entirely, and thereafter until theconverter is emptied the pouring can and must be direct in to the moldwithout the intervention of the pouring-spoon. In this position the noseof the converter is almost in contact with the molds, and very littlesplash or waste occurs during this portion of the pour. The realsplashing and loss occur during the commencement of the pour, or, inother words, when the molten copper must fall a considerable distancebefore it engages the mold. My invention, therefore,'corrects andprevents this splash and waste during the early stages of the pouring.The splash-shield catches all side and front splash and returns thecopper so splashed either in a liquid or in a congealed form into themold, where it will be incorporated in the still liquid plate or pigthat is in process of pouring.

Any copper that adheres to the inside of the splash-shield is readilydetached without any loss whatever, and it may be placed in a mold tobecome incorporated as a part of the next pig or plate that is cast, orit may be returned to the converter for remelting.

My present invention prevents the waste that at present exists inpractice when copper is poured from a converter into molds. When theconverter after pouring is returned to an upright position, shouldaccretions on its nose engage the shield it cannot do harm, because theeffect would simply be to turn the spoon slightly on its standard, andthus to remove the shield and the spoon from the path of theconverter-nose. After the converter has been restored to uprightposition the movement of the car 4 forward beneath the converter willrestore the spoon to its proper position by contact of the edges of themolds with its lower end.

It Will be noted that I make the inside area of the shield as smallaspossible, so that it will notinterfere with the act of pouring, and myreasons for doing so are important:

((0) Owing to the swing of the converternose, it is impossible to makethe sides of the shield very high. Hence the closer its walls (b) It isimportant that the converter foreman and those who move the mold-carshould be able at all times to see the level and the conditions of themolten copper in each mold in order to guide them in their work. Thisbecomes possible where the shield is made smaller than the area of themold, for the workmen can then see the molten copper entirely around theoutside edges of the shield. If the shield were made larger than or aslarge as the top surface of the pig or plate, the molten copper would becovered by the shield, and it would therefore be invisible to theworkmen.

Many changes in the form, construction, and design of the pouring-spoonand splashshield may be made without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

I am aware that spoons with wide and nearly flat surfaces have been usedfor directing molten metal into the mold; but

What I claim is- 1. Casting apparatus comprising a spoon openthroughoutits length having converging trough-shaped sides and apouring-lip mounted in nearly vertical position between a converter andthe molds; substantially as described.

2. Casting apparatus comprising a spoon open throughout its length andhaving a splash-shield at its lower end, said spoon being mounted innearly vertical position between the converter and the molds;substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

RALPH BAGGALEY.

Witnesses: J. H. REED,

THOMAS W. BAKEWELL.

